Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to door hardware assemblies and, more particularly, to door hardware assemblies for use with sliding doors or sliding panels. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a hardware assembly with a flexible coupling which enables the installation of the lock actuator in an axially offset relationship with respect to the latch assembly.
Sliding glass doors are used in both commercial and residential buildings. The current trend in the design of sliding glass doors is to expand the surface area of the glass and design the supporting frame to be as thin and discreet as possible. While this current design is viewed as being more attractive than older doors with thicker, wider frames, the current design poses problems for the installation of the door hardware and, more specifically, the lock assemblies.
For example, the narrow door frames currently employed provide little room for the installation of a mortise lock and lock actuator. Often, the lock actuator must be installed in a non-centered position on the door frame in order to access the mortise lock. The off-center positioning of the actuator or lock handle is unattractive and therefore unsatisfactory to many door designers.
Similarly, the thin or narrow door frames often require the actuator or thumbturn for a simple latch to be installed in an off-center relationship with respect to the frame. One solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,703 which discloses a door handle assembly featuring an actuator that is slidably mounted in an elongated transverse slot. The use of the transverse slot enables the door assembly to be adaptable to a wide variety of door installations and door hardware. Further, the slot enables the actuator to be mounted in a central position on the door frame but enables the actuator to be moved in a lateral direction in order to ensure that the latching mechanism engages the catch when the door is closed.
However, the employment of the transverse elongated slot disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,703 also requires modification of the outer escutcheon plate. Further, the actuator or handle must also be specially designed so as to ensure that it covers the elongated transverse slot.
Accordingly, there is a need for other solutions to the problem of providing an aesthetically pleasing lock assembly for sliding glass doors with narrow frames that requires the actuator to be mounted onto the door frame in an axially offset relationship with respect to the latch assembly.